Blueprints for the Church: The Abundant Life

Notes:

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Introduction:

Summarizing 2 statements:

Power

Immeasurability

God’s Over-the-Top Power

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us…

Able=Power

20 Now to him who is POWERFUL to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us…

Power=Major Theme in the first 3 chapters:

Ephesians 1:19 “[That you may know] what is the immeasurable greatness of his power …”

Paul wants the Ephesians to God’s POWER!

Why?

Because of Christ’s Over-the Top Reign over the Cosmos

Ephesians 1:21–22 “[Jesus is seated] far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.”

Power at Work in this World in Paul

Ephesians 3:7 “7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power.”

Power at Work in this World through the Ephesians

Passing of the Baton:

God’s POWER is THROUGH YOU TOO!

Ephesians 3:16 “that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”

Power=”Ableness”

Nothing hinders God

God is greater

Nothing blocks God or cuts Him off that pass.

We put a limit on God’s POWER, do we not?

We put a cap on God’s ability.

Part II: God’s Over-the-Top Plan

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

Picks up another major theme up to this point:

Theme of superlatives!

Superlative Examples

Power is Immeasurable

Ephesians 1:19 “[That you may know] what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might”

Love is Immeasurable:

Ephesians 318 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:8 “To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.”

“very least”=Leastest

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly

Doesn’t say: Able to exceed more than anything we can think or imagine…

God’s Plans for us is IMMEASURABLY more abundant than anything we can ASK OR IMAGINE!

“One of Paul’s ‘super-superlatives’”: F.F.Bruce

Abundantly

The abundance we receive far exceeds expectations!

Rare compound verb: “Infinity more than” “far more abundantly than…”

Paul’s coined superlatives… Language: Made up words.

Examples of Bigness:

List of stars in a row…

Moving into the atomic, subatomic.

“The doxology invites us to meditate on God, the One who is much more powerful than we anticipate. This is not an invitation to think up self-centered grocery lists of tasks for God to do. Rather, it is a call to realize God’s unanticipated power to effect change in us, in keeping with the power already working in us.” Snodgrass

Hyper-abundantly:

“To be present overabundantly or to excess.”

Wordy: “To be superfluous”. Of people: “To be superior or suberabounding.”

“to provide superabundantly.”

Prodigal Son: Extravagant Love.

India: Eat, eat, eat!

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us.

Lavished with grace…

God gives us a hyperlavished versions of anything we can ask for or imagine.

1.17: “Hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.

Key Examples of Superabounding:

Romans 5:20 “20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,”

Romans 15:13 “13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Our prayers aren’t big enough, bold enough, or deep enough.

Our plans have limits.

God’s plans don’t!

“[God’s] expectations are higher than ours.” Stott

“There are no limits to what God can do.” Stott

is Beyond our Imagination

Pray without Ceiling!

Don’t hold back.

Couch Story?

What do you block in your life that gets in the way of God’s POWER in your life?

Point of God POWER in this WORLD?

Point of Christ’s REIGN over the COSMOS?

Praying without Ceasing

Pray in such a way that God answers prayer!

We are so limited by our imminent frame.

Whatever God wants to do…

Whatever we have now, God will give us EVEN MORE!

Stinking wealthy, rich, fame/known

Tears for Fears: “Everyone Wants to Rule the World”

Everyone wants hope

Everyone wants riches

Everyone wants power

God’s Glory

Glory=Another repeated word in the first 3 chapters:

Ephesians 1:12 “12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.”

Ephesians 1:14 “14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

Ephesians 1:17 “17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,”

Ephesians 3:13 “13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.”

Ephesians 3:16 “16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”

“The glory of God is most gloriously seen in the grace of his uniting his sinful creatures to his eternal, sinless Son.” Francis Folks

Glory only appears one more time in in this letter, but it’s spelled slightly differently…

GLORY is the POINT

Accomplished through our Live

Shift from Theology to Practice

Glory in the Church

Revelatory Work of the Church

Glory in the Church: That’s our duty!

“Glory in the Body”

Glory in Christ Jesus forever by all people forever.

Glory to God comes through the mediator, jesus Christ.

“Glory in the Head”